


Masquerade of the Golden Witch

by Inscribis



Category: Umineko no Naku Koro ni | When the Seagulls Cry
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other, beatrice says the world is made of love, that statement will be put to the test, there is no red truth in this one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-05-18 08:33:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19330930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inscribis/pseuds/Inscribis
Summary: There's a goat. With a board.And no one else. Golden Sorcerer Battler will have to solve the game by himself, with only a vaguely sarcastic goat butler for company. A goat who can't or won't reply in red.The game doesn't seem to be taking itself seriously as an explanation of the events of 1986, considering Ange is there, but something's off about her. And Maria, too. Why is there a goat? Where is his wife? Why is Ange back?And there's something about the consequences of not tidying up properly.





	1. Prologue

This story is fictional. Any resemblance to people you recognize, events, etc. Is merely chance.

Welcome to another Rokkenjima. The stage is set, and the curtains rise once more on the 12 dreadful twilights awaiting the Ushiromiya family. Someone has been waiting for you, though they are not yet sure how to present themselves before you. Difficulty will be tremendous if you are blinded by preconceived notions, but otherwise, not very. So let go of what you think you know, sit back, and listen. But take care, for while you watch out for the witch, the witches watch you.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

There was a goat at the table.

Or maybe there wasn’t. Perhaps it was his wife, but with a goat’s head.

Maybe she had a new prank in mind.

Or maybe…As he thought, Battler stopped screaming, and relaxed a little. Surely there was a good reason for this!

“Er, who are you?” The Endless Sorcerer cautiously approached the table. It could be a test, a trap, but she’s proud when he manages to see through her little games.

And cackles when he doesn’t. But either way, it cheers her up.

It’s only one goat, Battler thought. And so he stepped forth boldly, into the ring.

The result was…. Silence.

It continued to stand at attention beside the table, but said nothing. They sat in companionable silence for a while, as Battler devoured his pancakes.

Battler eyed his companion.

It was a big black goat in a butler’s outfit. It had been as still as a statue in the time he had eaten his way through his third pancake and second jug of syrup (two nice things about the golden land: you can eat as much as you want and the food is delicious. Thanks, Gohda and Ronove!).

“Hey,” he called his dining companion, on the off-chance he was wrong and it wasn’t his wife. “What’s wrong?”

“Baatora,” the goat bleated back. “Are you up for a game?”

“!” Not Beato then. The endless sorcerer looked around. No one else was there.

“You guys should have been booted from the golden land.” He narrowed his eyes.

“I was only invited here by the golden witch to deliver you a letter, and tend to you regarding its contents.” The goat presented him a bottle.

“Really.” Battler folded his arms and leaned back on his chair.

“Yes, really.” The goat inched closer.

“But, a game? Why?” They had shifted into the parlor, and Battler had changed from his disheveled pajamas to his white suit. The goat was still a goat.

“What do you think is the point? What was the point of all those other games? Here we have a gift, a painstakingly, carefully crafted game board, and you won’t play it, Baaaaaaatttllller Ushiromiyaaaaa?” The goat bleated.

Battler thought back to the gameboards witches other than his wife had made. “But, why? She was supposed to let us rest!” “Shh, shh.” The goat put a finger to Battler’s lips.

“No no no! There’s no reason for any more games!” Beato had already made her point to him, and he to Ange. But then again, boredom is poison to witches…

“I am afraid there is no rest for the wicked, sir.” If goats could smile, this one would have made a wry one.

“But, there may have been a misunderstanding. This is a letter made by, certified by, and permitted to be shown to you by the Mistress, the Golden Witch. The minimum courtesy required of the territory lord would be to at least read it.”

"Was I asleep that long?" Battler wondered, as he flipped the bottle over. "She could have just woken me up, instead of doing this."

“Sir! If you wish to decline the letter, you could just tell me so. I would gladly deliver your response to the sender.” The goat chastised him.

“Really? I can just do that?”

“Yes, but your refusal would not be tolerated.”

Battler sighed. “So, standard rules apply then?”

“If you will pardon this servant’s impertinence, but, could you define the rules? I was not informed of the intricacies of the other games.”

“Shouldn’t the game master have informed you?”

“I am afraid not.”

“I’ll ask when it comes up then.”

“Very well then, master Battler.”


	2. The @$&#king Sorcerer and the Golden Witch

On the island of Rokkenjima, there was an old man. He had lived a long, tumultuous life, and came out the victor. Having turned his eyes away from the world outside his study, he has shut himself in for many years, and dedicated himself to his final act-

“Sigh.” The old man standing, sighed.

In a corner of this vast study, there were two men: one, a doctor, the other, his patient, lay in bed. A third man silently watched the scene from a distance.

“And you, should drink less.”

“The bottle, is the next best thing I could hope for.” The patient was unapologetic. “It has been by my side longer than you, and will never betray me.”

If it lives, it can betray. If it is dead, it can still betray. All three men had secrets to keep, but only Dr Nanjo had anything to fear from the other two.

There was an unspoken agreement between the doctor and the third man that ‘the best thing’, as it was, in the opinion of those with common sense and a will to live, ‘the worst thing’. But the thought of her was never far from the mind of Ushiromiya Kinzo, the man with negative months to live.

There was medicine to prolong a man’s life, but nothing for a broken man with nothing left to lose.

“I am the head of the Ushiromiya family, and I speak for everyone when I say we all want the witch revived.”

“But Beatrice will not be kind to you.” The patient was warned. “After what you have done to her, it would be impossible for her not to subject you to a thousand fires, for starters.”

“It is no betrayal, for I expect it of her. Oh, Beatrice, Beaaatrrriiiiiiiceeee. I beg of you! Surely you can hear my pleas..that’s the kind of woman you are! For you, your smile, I would do anything. Take my eyes, my guts, my body, my soul, why, take those of my spawn and grandspawn too, -Uooh, Beatrice, Beatrice! I desire no funeral, nor tomb, take it away, take them all away!! I don’t want to die alone like this! Aah, Beatrice, Beatrice!! I offer our lives, if only to see your smile once more! I’m begging you, Beatriiiiiiiiiiice!!!!!”

Men from every country in the world knew of Ushiromiya Kinzo, the Goldsmith, whose reckless, aggressive practices took the business world by storm. Praised as a bold pioneer and crafty ruler, it would not be remiss to call him a golden Emperor. For he had built an empire, when the world was in shambles from war. He had made the one-winged eagle no less than a phoenix, a golden bird born of the ashes of death.

But now, the emperor lay dying, and the kingdom was threatening to tear apart. An ignoble end to the legacy of an ignoble man. To see him as he is now, would be the death of his hard-earned public image.

The butler, Genji, coughed to announce his presence. “Your drink, my lord.”

Whatever was inside was sweet and poisonous smelling, and was sure to do things to a man’s insides. The large room already stank of it, and yet Kinzo had not yet had enough of the thing. It was, in some ways, the only thing that could stop him during his undesired tirades. Like a little green glass of reality.

“This wretched family mine shall soon gather, and then my work shall begin in earnest.” He continued, after he had gulped down a cup. Six to choose, six to sacrifice…

“Genji, another glass.”

Nanjo waved the butler off.

“If you will not write a will, nor take medicine, there is nothing more I can do for you except to let you rest till it begins. How about you lie down, and while I keep your son away, you dictate to Genji…” “Good. You have served me well, you two. Now get that vulture of a son away from here, I have no intentions of seeing him alive.” He showed no signs of dictating anything to Genji.

Nanjo sighed.

 

“And how is father?” Krauss, the eldest child, asked, tensely, as he waited outside the study. The smell of the head’s room was caused by equal parts defense and coping mechanism. Since the incident two years ago, only Krauss, his wife, the doctor, and the staff who call themselves furniture would enter the room.

In truth, at the age of fifty odd years, Krauss should not be considered a child anymore, but that was what Kinzo thought of him as. A child.

It was not a term of endearment.

Nanjo wanted to curse him, for asking such a simple, yet difficult thing.

“Leave him be. He is resting for tonight.” He answered instead. Just because the son could not fire him, does not mean he could afford to not be civil. Krauss was known to be an impulsive person, mostly by the world of finance. A resort on his father's isolated island, a hotel on the moon, the horse race bets...the man was infamous for his lack of acumen, financial and otherwise.

Better a bruised ego than a bruised face.

“Doesn’t he ever get lonely in there, with just Genji and you for company? It would put the rest of the family at ease, if he would join us for the reunion…”

“He has taken a self-imposed isolation. It is Beatrice, or nothing, for him.”

“You’re the one who drove yourself to solitude, Goldsmith.” Said a blond woman in a miniskirt, unacknowledged by the men. She tapped her _kiseru_ , her Japanese smoking pipe on the doorknob. A scorpion was engraved on the polished brass.

“Do you want me to come in or not? Then again, it is only fair, that I do not sway you either way. Very well then. Have it your way. Tonight, I will witness the final gamble and fall of a pitiful mage, who fell in love with me and threw away his life!”

“Tonight? The family gathering?” Krauss coughed. “I was hoping for an uneventful gathering, actually… "

But no.

Old man Kinzo was preparing for what would be his final act-the resurrection of the endless witch; and his old love; Beatrice the Golden.

Beatrice, whom had loaned him an incredible sum of gold.

Beatrice, who made him rich.

Beatrice, whose generosity he repaid by trapping her on his private island for many years.

Beatrice, unseen, but felt; the island’s mistress of the night, who commands fear and respect alike.

Who tears the curtains, lets in the rain, strews paint in locked rooms, messes up the kitchen, puts rats in the shower, and screams in the night.

Beatrice, who stole away the wolves of the forest, and threatened to also steal away naughty children.

Beatrice, who was planning her resurrection, and epitaph.

Beatrice, who was about to unleash hell on the denizens of the island.

The island of Rokkenjima is not small. It is however, secluded, and there would be nothing for miles around save blue sea, green trees, the harbor, the main mansion, the guest house, and whatever secrets the island held. But for now, take your eyes away from the island, and look towards the airport…

 

**October 4,1986-Day 1**

“The whole plane is for us?” I asked. It’s wonderful, knowing that it means less time being bored out of your mind, being stuck on a boat while people talked about things you knew nothing about. Maybe I could sit next to Maria. We don’t meet as often as I’d like.

“Hoho, Ange,” Aunt Eva’s husband, Uncle Yoshi, towered over me. “You’ve grown so much!”

He slipped me something. “Your new year’s money,” he whispered, and I grinned.

Aunt Eva and Uncle Yoshi are pretty nice, but cousin George, he’s always showing off the things he knows. If you’re a grown man, and you show off university-level math knowledge to a six-year old, isn’t that villainous? Just plain mean? Aunty and Uncle and all the adults can say all the good things they want about George, but I know that he is a bully.

"Where is niichan?” I asked mama.

She frowned. “Perhaps he is waiting for the last minute to arrive”, she said.

That made sense. Niichan doesn’t like Papa, so he would want to spend as little time around him.

Papa, too, was avoiding this meeting. “That brother of mine, he’s been in the loo for how long now? I wonder what happened to him?”

That’s the way Papa is. I always thought he should eat more vegetables, just in case, but he never listens.

“Whether or not he makes it on time, your waiting for him won’t matter,” mama told me. Maybe I should call him again?

“Perhaps he is taking the scenic route,” Uncle Yoshi assured me. “He could have gone last night, so he can go veeeerrryyy slowly and still arrive today.”

That made sense. Niichan could avoid papa and shaking if he did that.

“Battler should have taken the plane with us in that case, the plane would shake less than the boat.”

“What do you hope to achieve, by telling us this?”

“Oh, well…next time” George frowned, then went back to that sinister smile of his. “Tell him that, so that next time, he takes the plane with you, alright, Ange?”

For next time then. So Niichan doesn’t scream and suffer so much.

“Alright. Thank you, Aniki.” I remembered my manners, and thanked my least favorite cousin.

“Gyahaha, such a well-mannered child! Are you sure she came from you?” Aunty Eva asked. Adults always seem to find it funny, to ask that sort of thing.

“I could ask the same of you. How did such a promising young man come from you?” Papa replied.

“Wahaha, never had a sibling myself. Watching you two, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It sure is nice to have a big family and siblings.” He thought it was nice of siblings to insult each other's spouse's faithfulness? Does the dream sibling life mean a life like one of those afternoon shows only some adults like?

Oh, in Niichan's case, it's because he is my stepbrother. Papa had a different wife before mama, and then..

And then they started talking about making George a little sibling. Ew.

“It does seem about time I leave the nest.” George told me. “How is Battler, by the way?”

“Niichan said he’d come.” Was all I could tell him. “He said he’s doing okay.” George did that suspicious glint again.

Uncle Yoshi suddenly shouted. “It’s Maria!”

No, that was me. I shouted too. We both shouted.

“Maria, long time no see!” Uncle Yoshi greeted.

“Long time no see!” Maria copied his greeting.

“Greet your uncle properly, Maria.” Her mother, aunt Rosa, told her.

“Uu. And good day to you as well, dear Uncle.” Maria put her hands together and bowed.

“Maria!”

“Gahaha! Well said! How about some candy as a reward? Now, where did I put it…” Maria, my favorite cousin. An apprentice witch in training, she say’s grandpa’s alchemy counsellor is teaching her to become the Witch of Origins. She is also teaching me how to become a witch.

I didn't actually like her that much, now that she is here to remind me what she is like. We meet once a year, and argue whether witches or princesses are better, and then we spend of the weekend threatening to send curses or knights at the other. But by the time the next year comes, we've sort of forgotten and try once again to get along.

If I actually don't like her, then why do I let myself be taught by her on how to be a witch? Because, it is better to be safe than sorry. A princess that is also a witch might be able to better save herself from curses.

And someday, I might also learn to fly, but for now, I need to hold onto mama as we board a plane. It is a small plane, but it only needs to hold me and my family.

And the pilot. “Boarding will now commence. As I call out the names on the passenger list, please take your seats in order, starting…” I stopped listening and talked to Maria instead.

“Did you learn any new spells?” “Uuu!” She held out candy. “Found uncle’s missing candy!”

“Well, that’s great, Maria!” Uncle Yoshi patted her on the head. “I don’t suppose you could spare me one?” Everyone else found someone to talk to, so it was me, Maria, and uncle Yoshi. He asked about our schoolwork. That was never something to admit problems about, so I say it’s fine, as always. “Are you still alone, Maria?” Uncle asked. Uh oh. “mmmm.” Maria shook her head. She isn’t going to say Sakutaro, her stuffed lion toy, is she- “I made friends!” “huh?” “My classmates appreciate my magic now, they come to me for advice a lot now!” She puffed up with pride. I sat next to Maria, to try and get more details about this, and we took off.

 

BGM:  [ Ride on ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul2C_5MAg1E&feature=youtu.be)

****Masquerade of the Golden Witch** **

Ushiromiya Battler Ushiromiya Ange

Ushiromiya George Ushiromiya Eva Ushiromiya Hideyoshi

Ushiromiya Jessica Ushiromiya Natsuhi Ushiromiya Krauss

Ushiromiya Maria Ushiromiya Rosa

Ushiromiya Kinzo

Gohda Toshiro

Ronoue Genji

Kumasawa Chiyo

Nanjo Terumasa

Kanon  Shannon

Beatrice

As the credits rolled, the sky faded away, and Battler found he was back in the parlor. With the goat.

“Thus far, any questions?”

“Um, what exactly am I supposed to do here?”

“Listen, and then ratify this work. That is all that could be asked of you, Lord of the Golden Land. At the very least, be a witness to this tale.”

“Oookay then.” He still wasn’t that used to having people talk to him formally. Then a thought struck him.

"Wait, Ange's here?"

"No." Seeing Battler's confused face, the goat then continued. "Ange is _there_."

Battler put his palm to his face.

"I am going to be in this, right?"

"Your name, sire, is at the very top of the opening credits."

"Oh. Right." Battler sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.


	3. Welcome to Rokkenjima

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight amendment to the previous chapter-Battler had previously made no comment on Ange's presence.

BGM:  [ Doorway of Summer ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sxfABkV3oU)

“And so, my friend is smarter than you, uu!” Maria cheered as I cried tears of rage. During the trip, Maria had taken out a puzzle book, with magnets in it. Aunt Rosa gave her that book a long time ago.

The puzzles are along the lines of 'farmer wants to bring across a river things that will eat each other if left alone'.

“I can’t think on the plane! It was shaking so much, and I was dizzy!” Why do I have to fight another grown up? Maria’s new friend was probably a teacher who took pity on her! And teachers are supposed to be smart! 

“It's not fair! That friend of yours is-”not real, you’re lying again-”older, right? Adults have had more years to learn this sort of thing!”

“Now now, Ange,” Aunt Rosa cut in. “We’re landing soon, so you can try again on land after you rest a bit, alright?” Looking out, I saw the grey rectangle that meant land. That meant it was time to hop.

“Haha, look how excited she is!” Uncle Yoshi said.

“Uu-uu” Maria answered. “She’s trying to avoid the landing.”

Because, I’ve remember. Once, while mama wasn’t around and I needed a model. I asked papa to help.

 

“And here comes, our new model, Rudolfina!” I announced into the eggbeater I was using for a microphone. “She’s new, so please be kind if she messes up!”

 

“How hard can it be, to be a woman for ten minutes?” Rudolfina boasted, from on top of the table runway. I took it as her entry statement. “Men used to wear these too.” He bent a leg forwards, showing off that leg slit.

Decked in a dress Aunty Eva bought mama (that she never wears), a bra that actually fit papa (and some tissue, I heard that proper fitting is very important), and nail polish I borrowed from a friend, Papa looked...almost womanly.

“Alright! Now, Rudolfina will now show us her 10 times grammy winning pirouette!”

“In heels, Ange?!”

“Yes! I saw it on tv before, and it looked so much cooler than in those pink shoes!”

He grumbled, but he did it.

"And now, the leap!"

Papa tried. He really tried.

But he broke a leg. No, not literally, and not un-literally.

He spun, and leaned to much to the side. He hopped, and stumbled, and put his other foot down to stabilize himself-but he leaned too much, and the heel broke.

He twisted his ankle, and landed funny under the table.

I couldn’t lift him. So I had to wait for mama to save him, no matter how much ice cream he tried to bribe me with.

Mama said he got lucky, that he hadn’t broken his neck.

“Not bad, dear.” Mama praised me, as she dragged Papa to the sofa. “You managed to make a decent woman of that old man. But also, don’t do that again, alright? You do not want to be responsible for your papa’s death, right?”

 

“Did that actually happen?” Battler asked. He would have loved to have seen such a thing! The falling on his ass part, not the dress part, that is.

"I am not in the position to answer that."

 

This is important, because it taught me something about runways. Papa, is a plane. The runway, is a runway. When papa jumped, and landed, he landed funny, and hopped again to reset.

If the heel hadn't broke, he would have been ok.

Niisan taught me, that in that case, I should hop! Keep hopping, so you don’t hit the ground along with the plane.

 

“Aaah!” Battler shouted. “I should have thought of that!”

 

We arrived at the airport, and were now headed for the harbor by taxi, to take a boat to grandpa’s island.

"If it's any help," papa whispered to me while in the car. "I was never much good either at juggling things that would tear each other apart if left alone."

Mama looked away, and stared really hard at the trees.

What could I say to that? "Thank you, papa."

 

A blond teenager and old woman was waiting at the dock for us. They are my cousin, Jessica, and the worker, Kumasawa.

I was so happy meeting Maria, I forgot about Niisan.

“Is Niisan on the island yet?” I asked Jessica.

“Huh? Battler wasn't with you guys?” She replied.

 

“Oh ho ho, if it isn’t little Maria! How big you’ve grown!” Kumasawa gushed over Maria. “And you, Ange. Look how beautiful you’ve become! Have you been eating mackerel?”

Kumasawa is a very old woman who works for grandpa. She’s been there for many years, she has a grandson, and she is the best person at hide and seek even though she is the tallest.

She also has all sorts of problems. Lumbago. Hernia. Langorous. With all those scary sounding things, I don’t know how she ever gets out of bed.

But she’s very good at anything to do with the kitchen and laundry. But, mackerel….it’s only polite to eat it, and they taste better than I would think, but still, it’s mackerel. Mackerel, you know? Mackerel!

 

“Mackerel….mackerel…”

Huh?

Coming back to reality, I saw something terrifying.

“Aaaahh!”

The parents, they laughed, mostly.

“Jesus christ, kid, it’s just Kumasawa. You see her every year, you know?” Papa scolded me. Kumasawa had knelt down, and was now being lifted back up by papa.

“How did our child end up so lily-livered?” Mama sighed. They do this a lot, ‘our kid’ and ‘Asumu’s kid’. Asumu’s kid being Niisan.

 I think it’s because mama didn’t like Asumu, that Niisan moved to his grandparents’ house when they got married.

But, mama said the grandparents have died…

 

“Haha, you look as lively as ever! How’ve you been?” Uncle Yoshi greeted Kumasawa.

“Oh ho! As spritely as ever!” She grinned.

We got on the boat, and I ran for the front. “Whee!” The adults awwed over my display of adorable charm.

“Ah, Ange gets sick easily around this time, perhaps we should slow down and avoid her getting seasick?” Aunt Rosa suggested.

“Thank you for your concern, but I think the sea air will do her good.” Mama replied. “It certainly seems to have helped Jessica.”

 

“You get sick easily too?” I asked Jessica.

“I was born with asthma, which means sometimes I find it very hard to breathe.”

What I know about asthma is that there was this kid from kindergarten who really needed a tube thing for asthma reasons.

“Is it like sinus?” I asked.

“Actually, yeah.” Jessica replied.

“Except instead of stuff coming out your nose your lungs close up.”

That sounded like a better deal. No one would come near me during morning kindergarten because of my runny nose. And if I ran out of tissues-

“Ange, that’s not something to be jealous of! You’ll get stronger as your grow up, but me? I’m stuck with bad lungs forever!” Jessica scolded me, as if she had heard my thoughts.

“Huh?! How’d you know I was thinking that?!” I shouted.

“Mm. Secret~”

 

I noticed the adults weren’t awwing over me anymore and stopped. They were heading inside. I wanted to keep looking out, in case of dolphins… but no, this year’s meeting, we came with a Mission.

“Rudolf. Both you and I are responsible for the livelihoods of our employees.” Uncle Yoshi was talking with papa. Mama sat nearby, looking at Aunt Eva.

They were talking about money again. From what I overheard, all the adults don’t have enough money to run their companies, which meant they and everyone working for them could soon lose their way of getting money to live on. Which meant it was time to ask for money from grandpa, who’s very rich.

But grandpa is scary, and Jessica’s parents have been doing the talking for him for the past two years. And they say no, grandpa is very angry at you, don’t talk to him.

Hence the Mission.

 

“-And make sure sis keeps quiet till needed, okay?” Aunt Rosa was looking at Aunt Eva, who was very angry.

 

It’s scary when aunt Eva is mad-her kicks are very fast, and strong. She has a black belt in a lot of things.

 

The feeling around the ship was all scary now. 

“Mr captain, can you go faster?” In response to my request, the captain shouted a very excited 'yes' and sped up.

It still wasn’t enough. “Maria! Do you see any dolphins?”

“Uuuu.” Maria shook her head. She was glum.

“Do you have any charms to summon dolphins then?” I tried to cheer her up.

“Uu! Try asking Barbatos!” She took her grimoire from her bag and showed me a page with a pantsless archer girl with a ragged green cloak.

“She talks to animals, and repairs friendships, uu!” Maria was getting more and more excited, and shouted that last part.

“Maria!” Aunt Rosa heard her last shout. “Stop it!”

“Hai. Sorry, mother.” Maria bowed.

She didn’t to do that before. What happened?

 

In the end, it was George who saved the day. “Do you two know about the theory of evolution?”

“Uuhh.” I looked at Maria. She looked blank too.

“You too, Jessica.” George turned to his third victim.

"Things change with the times to better adapt, right?"

“In layman terms, yes. Animals change over time, to better suit the environment. This can be structural, or behavioral. Ange, do you know why dolphins don’t have gills?”

“Because they aren’t fish.” I answered.

“Then is it because they aren’t fish that they do not have gills, or that they don’t have gills because they aren’t fish?” While I pondered that question, he pressed on.

“And the anglerfish. Why are they like that?”

Maria raised her hand. “Raised away from god’s light. The fish’s wicked nature has shown itself-”

It’s a fish, Maria. They aren’t many opportunities for sin or virtue underwater, especially when they have to eat to survive.

“It’s because of the underwater pressure. And if no one can see, then there’s no point looking good right?” Jessica answered.

“George. If you want to compare humans to anglerfish, then you should know what happens to the males, right?” I asked. He was being a showoff again, after all. Time to cut him down.

“Aha…” George knows. He deflated, much like the male anglerfish.

“And environment. Have you ever been to an aquarium, you two?” Jessica asked.

 He nodded.

“Gee, bro. Who goes on a date to such a quiet, gloomy place? A place with those things?”

“Well then, it seems you don’t know your friend at all then. Shannon loves the sea, so of course it would be a good idea.”

“Shannon? Doesn’t she get tired of looking out the sea, all day, every year? She was probably just being polite.”

“Then as a fellow maiden,”George’s glasses gleamed. “Where would you like to go on a date?”

“A place with people!” Jessica argued. “Me and my beloved, holding hands, showing our love to all who can see…”Jessica put her hands to the sides of her face, in a loveydovey pose.

“It’s missing.” Maria spoke up, breaking us out of the romance talk. Did she want the attention back on her?

Actually, no. She looked very focused, staring out to Rokkenjima.

“What’s missing?” Jessica asked.

Maria struggled with the words, before using two fingers from each hand to intersect, like a 开.

“Oh! The gate and regional god! They should be there but aren’t!”

“Whatever.” Said Jessica. “Probably fell off last summer. Strong wind and strong waves, you know?”

“It’s a sign of misfortune. Uu..” Maria suddenly took out a little bottle of perfume and squirted herself.

“It’s training.” She explained. It sort of reminded me of that thing people did when training a dog to not do things.

Bad Maria, no Uuu! That sort of thing.

“What kind of misfortune?” George asked.

“Hoho.” Kumasawa appeared out of nowhere again, scaring me. “The young apprentice shows much promise, to detect as much.”

You too? I looked at Kumasawa.

“See the hole where the shrine was? The fishermen whisper that it was a thunderbolt that smashed the shrine, and that it is a sign of misfortune…”

“Misfortune…misfortune…”

"Misfortune...misfortune..." Kumasawa joined in.

One little girl being all creepy is kind of bad, but when a grown woman does it too, it makes you wonder if there really is misfortune coming.

“It’s alright, Maria. It’s just coincidence. Nothing scary’s gonna happen.” George said the good adult thing to say.

Maria, I think, isn’t the type to want comforting. No, she’s the sort who actually does want misfortune to happen.

“Yes there will!” Maria argued, pointing to the sky. The clouds were dark.

A storm is coming.

Isn’t it a good thing Niichan came early then? I thought. Even thought he probably isn’t actually there. But still, I could hope.

“It’s alright, Maria. The weather might get worse around tonight, but it’ll clear by tomorrow and become a bright blue sky.”

The face Maria gave him. It was a face that said, “don’t patronize me, you big fat liar.”

George got the meaning of that face, and backed away.

“I hope you are correct, sir George.” Was what Maria said out loud, after a lot of thought.

“Maria.” I asked her. “What is it about the typhoon? We should make it in time, so what's the problem?”

“Stuck, in Beatrice’s cage.” She said as explanation.

"Beatrice?"

“Us too.” She says.

“But I thought you like Beatrice.”

She shook her head. “Cabin fever.” She says.

Cabin fever, meaning if too many people are stuck together for a long period of time, they will go crazy.

“Oh. Ok.” I left her, and went to the captain.

“Mr captain. Can you go even more faster?”

“Oh, yes, yes miss! I was hoping someone would ask me that.” He pressed buttons and cranked levers.

The boat shuddered and whirred.

He told us all to sit down and buckle up. I made it in time, as the boat sped up and away.

 

"I’ll break here for the moment. Do you have any questions?"  Battler was dragged away from the scene again and back to the parlor.

"You don't have to pause so often! No one's dead yet!"

"But sire!" The goat replied with equal intensity. "If there are any problems with the board, they must be dealt with immediately.  I only exist to serve."

"Nothing's different yet, except Ange replaced me!" Which reminded him...

“So. This is a board. In which there will be murders. And Ange will have to solve them instead of me?!”

“Would suicides be any more to your liking?”

“No! But you know I know how the game works already, right?”

“I know you know more than I know about the game rules, that much I know.”

Battler waved his fingers, trying to parse the sentence, but gave up.

“Then why make a new board, when I can end it anytime I want?”

“Why not end it right now then? If you end it now, you can tell yourself that no one will die.”

"And what happens if I do end the story here?"

"I will inform the relevant authorities that you have seen it, and that should be all on my part."

"That's it?"

"No. On your part you will need to worry about the mistress."

"Oh, I'll worry all right." Battler grinned. "But what about the story?"

"Then it is not read. It has not started, it has not ended, and as far as we are concerned they shall travel forever to an island they shall never reach, under the threat of a storm that will never break."

The goat paused for dramatic effect. "It is still not so bad, as far as endings go."

Battler shook his head. "No go. A story that is stuck is torture."

"Then what will you do, Master Battler?"

"Yeah, well, I'll...just...change the story once it's time!"

"Since when do stories have their endings changed while they are being read?"

"Since I realised I could just write over the pages."

"A very cool statement, that was." The goat clapped. Battler preened.

Battler waved it off. "It's fine, it's fine, but quit interrupting the show!"


	4. Docking

****October 4** ** ** **th** ** ****, 1986,10.30am** **

There was a huge man waiting for us at the harbor. I think he was the man with the very nice cooking?

 

“Welcome home, milady.” The man bowed to Jessica. “Allow us servants to carry your luggage.” There was another person waiting next to him. It was an old man. That person is Genji, and he’s as reliable as a Grandfather Clock.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Gohda?” Aunt Eva greeted the cook.

“You must all be tired from your long trip. Please allow me to assist you.”

Now I remembered. Gohda was the only man working here who really makes sure his employers see him working hard. It’s something that really stuck with me, since the only other people who do that are most of the maids.

After we left all the luggage with the two men, the captain waved us goodbye and drove the ship away.

 

Maria looked around. “The kitties are missing.”

It was very quiet. Only the servants discussing how to split up the work, and the quiet sounds of the waves could be heard. But not the seagulls, with their meows.

“It seems that wild birds are attuned to changes in the weather and atmospheric-”

I tuned George out. The birds knew there was a typhoon coming and so went home to bed. That’s that.

 

I raced the cousins to the top of the winding path, and fell at the top. “How. Dare. You. Compete.with.a elementary.schooler.”I panted, pointing accusingly at George.

“Mm. But if you flip the chessboard, wouldn’t it be worse if George lost to a elementary schooler?” Mama said, as she strolled past me.

She didn’t help me up. I had to dust my own knees and get up.

And there was still the stairs.

“Maria! Race you to the mansion, and this time, it’s just you and me!”

 

I came in last, not including the servants. Because I fell again, and again.

Why bother getting up anymore…

 

“Come on.” Kumasawa encouraged me. “You could always climb onto Gohda’s back, you know?”

“That is not safe!” Gohda protested. He had balanced the luggage across his shoulders, and was using his arms to keep them there.

“But granny, it hurts!” I gestured to my skinned knee. “Can’t you carry me?”

“I can’t dear. You’ve heard about my lumbago, yes?” Kumasawa’s face couldn’t be seen from behind the bags she was carrying.

"Please, spare a thought for little old me." She hurried on. 

I wondered if I would be left behind. Would they come back for me? Or would I be left to fend for myself?

Maybe not behind. Gohda was still there, struggling to find a way to help me up.

Then the old man came.

 

Genji shifted his load to one arm, and scooped me up in the other. It was a little shaky looking though, so I used my arms to hold the luggage together.

“Oh, Genji is doing well.” Gohda commented. He shuffled over, and …docked.  “At least let me assist you with this.”

With Genji supporting one side of the luggage pile, and Gohda the other, I pulled myself to the top of the pile and gazed at the view.

“Hoho. It’s as if Genji has finally gotten a granddaughter to spoil!” Kumasawa said, when she spotted us. “The two of you, make a lovely sedan chair for the lovely little princess.” How she saw us from beyond her own little pile, was a mystery.

“Thank you, Mr Gohda, Mr Genji.”

“It is a furniture’s job to serve well.”

“I, Gohda, can do this much, to serve the family!”

“Yeah! Late bird gets the sedan!”

“Oh hoho, I don’t suppose you’d let me take a turn, Ange?”

And so I was carried in style to the top the stairs.

And beyond that, was the guesthouse, and rose garden.

 

The rose garden was as beautiful as ever. From above, I could see it all-

A slight wind blew over the garden. The roses fluttered slightly, and the sweet scent of roses washed over the area, soothing tired muscles. The many-colored petals rippled, and a colorful sea flowed and ebbed before us, before being blocked by the black iron fence. The paved paths shone in the light.

The adults were laughing over something. Probably adult jokes.

“Oh, Ange. What do you think about getting a rose garden back home?” Mama asked me. She didn’t comment on the ‘sedan’.

 

But papa did. “Oh, Ange. What a lovely princess you make.” Papa commented.

“Ah. That’s one way to get one over George!” Uncle Yoshi joked.

Kumasawa had gotten a trolley from somewhere and had piled herself and her luggage pile on it, and George was pushing her.

 

There was one more servant in the garden, trying to push a wheelbarrow piled high with sacks. This is Kanon. I think?

 

The weak looking teenager bowed to us.

“Long time no see, boy!" Papa greeted him.

Boy? The servants that come from the Fukuin house have always been female. So why is Kanon here?

George and Jessica were being Maria’s own sedan chair now. She was having fun, trying to get them to go faster.

But now Jessica wouldn’t budge right now. She was talking to Kanon.

So was Maria, actually. Jessica and Maria were shouting over each other to be heard, so I caught a few bits-

“let’s play together today!”

“Let me help!”

“Ange. You’ve been glaring at Kanon for a while now. What’s the matter?” Mama asked.

“Jessica didn’t..” I thought hard for the word. “Pull strings, did she?” Silence. I pointed at Kanon. “Why is there a boy here?” I pressed on, hoping to get my question across.

 

Mama, that traitor, she laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

She then told Jessica what I said.

“Wha-what?!” Jessica made a shocked face, as if the idea had never occurred to her. She let off Maria, and came towards my sedan. “Mum wouldn’t even let me hang out with the maids, there’s no way she’d let me bring a boy here! And what on earth gave you the idea that I did anything?”

“He’s having problems with the wagon.” I stood my ground. “He’s not here to be a gardener, is he?”

Kanon was staring at me, with that sour face of his. I felt embarrassed above his gaze. But not scared.

I'm this high up, and protected by the big, strong Gohda and Genji. What can he do?

“Why are you asking that now, though? Kanon was working here last year, too.”

I hadn’t known he was a boy then!

"Did you somehow not notice that he was wearing pants, while the servant girls wear skirts?"

“He’s been working here for three years, that’s one year longer than Gohda. And you’ve only realized that he’s a boy now?”

“And Genji’s been around longer than everyone else, what made you think all servants had to be women?”

Everyone had a laugh at my expense. I swore then to say nothing for the rest of the trip.

In all the commotion, Kanon and the wheelbarrow had escaped.

“How discourteous of him not to excuse himself!” Gohda complained. “But Kanon here was specifically picked at the behest of the head. And other than Shannon, Genji, Kumasawa and I, we have no one else on-duty at the moment, so he’ll have to do.”

 

“-No one else, so he’ll have to do. He’ll have to do~”

“Neesan. Stop. Just, stop.” Kanon made it back to the mansion without further incident, and was now tormented by his innermost worries, uninterrupted.

The two biggest ones were now in front of him. The Other Guest, and his sister.

“What was that, furniture?” The golden witch of Rokkenjima, Beatrice cackled. “Your sister can’t hear you, she’s listening to nothing, sweet nothings. Kyahahaha~”

“Beatrice!” Kanon glared at the witch. “Stop filling her head with such nonsense!”

“Kyahaha! You doubt my power, Kaaanonnn?” She was making that face again, where her eyes and grin took up more than should be possible of her face. “I’ve acknowledged her guts, and have given my blessing, you know. With my magic, how could she possibly fail?!”

“Next to your sister, who at least has dreams of leaving the board, you’re even further from reaching the 8th rank!”

“Thank you for all the time we’ve spent together, Kanon.” Shannon smiled, took his hands, and shook them. “But, one way or another, life must go on, and I must go forward.”

“We’re furniture.” Kanon pleaded, and snatched his hands back. “To go beyond our station is to invite disaster.”

“With George standing beside me, even the strongest of storms and highest of tsunamis, would be a gentle breeze and beautiful wave to me.”

Whether the weather gods will do anything to acknowledge your love, is beyond ken.

“Ugh! Love blinds you! Can’t you see?! The witch will never let you two have a happy life off the island!” Kanon swept the curtains apart, revealing the golden bars surrounding the island.

A storm was coming, cutting off the island from the outside world.

It is a prison for the witch, and the inhabitants.

Welcome to Rokkenjima. Your sentence is eternity.


	5. Last Call

BGM:[Towering Cloud in summer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZd41NMBM4s&feature=youtu.be)

“I want to make a phone call.” I asked Jessica.

“Oh, sure, there’s one in every room.” She replied.

“Does that apply to Toraian too?”

 

A few years ago, Uncle Krauss built Toraian as a guest house on the island,. We’ll be staying there this time.

 

“So, how’s you and Shannon going?” Jessica visited our room when we unpacked.

“Well… how about you and Kanon?” George evaded the question.

“Nothing happened. We definitely didn’t stay overnight in Okinawa so the spotlight’s on you, bro!”

“That’s…nothing happened, really…”

Jessica cornered him on one side, and Maria on the other.

“Shannon said that too, but I’m not believing it.”

“Gyah…wuaaaaaaa!” George was tickled.

 

His torture was cut short by a timid knocking on the door. “Pardon me. Your snacks are here.”

 

“Well speak of the devil, she’s here!” Jessica was startled, and George glared at her.

“Devil, Jessica? Is that any way to speak of your friend?”

“Please, do not blame Jessica for my sake.” Shannon’s worry for her friend was written clear across her face.

“Do not worry, Shannon. I know that it is merely a figure of speech, a part of the english idiom-”

He then went into a spiel about the importance of learning the English language, and Shannon said she had never gone beyond Japan, and then George boasted of how he’d take her all over the world-

 

Because. The two are dating, with plans of marriage. At least, according to George.

 

“The Chinese have a similar verb, except instead of the christian devil, it’s-”

“So! Does Kanon seem any different?” Jessica cut in.

“Oda Nobunaga.” George said flatly. He was still on his lecture.

“Milady had Kanon play her boyfriend during the school festival.”

No! Jessica flopped on a bed and flailed her legs. “Shannon, sttooooooop itttt!”

She had told her classmates that she would bring someone.

“Pity it’s just Kanon. How is Jessica supposed to show off with a sour guy like that?”

“She said something like, ‘admitting you’re lying would get you some shame, but you’d only have to endure it for the short yet long time till graduation!’” Jessica used air quotes and struggled to remember the words. I could use her legs as a fan now, that’s how fast they were going.

George laughed.”To couples in love, there’s no sweeter honey than the face of a single person with an inferiority complex.”

“Argh! I think Shannon said that, too!” Jessica threw a pillow at George.

Did the bed just budge? The bed would become a speedboat if she goes any faster.

“I am sure, that Kanon had enjoyed it too.” Shannon changed the subject, saving George from his cousin’s bitter rage. “Surely, he saw a new side to milady.”

“Oh, yeah. Thanks for helping him pick clothes. My classmates think he’s great.” Jessica was losing steam as she talked. Was Kanon that embarrassing?

“But, I think it showed him a new side to himself too. My friends all thought he was cute and all, so maybe he’ll finally recognize himself as an actual human?”

“Is he one of the furniture servants?” I asked, more out of confirmation than idle curiosity.

 

Furniture. It was a term that Genji, the eldest servant, used to refer to himself. Considering his tendency to stay quiet, and unnoticed till called for, it would make sense to say that it’s a title showing his…determination? Loyalty? Dedication to his job.

 

It’s also a term Shannon uses to describe herself. Which is very much, in her case. She’s a young woman who is a little clumsy when nervous, and with her assets and that thigh slit in her weird uniform, people are definitely going to notice her a lot more than they would some old man.

“She’s no dusty old antique, she’s a vase!” Papa had once called her. What mama called him for that comment, ‘is not to be repeated to anyone.’

 

Though, if I was to describe her as a household object, it would be a doormat.

Her and Kanon, actually.

Shannon would be the nice soft doormat outside the bathroom that you rub you feet into because it’s nice and soft and drying, and Kanon’s the bristly type at the front door that you rub your shoes into to get the dirt out.

Maybe, it might even be fun wiping the dirt of your shoes on that face of his. That grumpy look has definitely gotten him in a lot of trouble with the strict Aunt Natsuhi.

No, wait, is that why?

 

‘Oh, Kanon, you poor, wimpy orphan. Come, cry into my bosom anytime…’

‘I cannot, my lady, there is a gap between us greater than the time between Battler’s report cards being issued and the time they are found…’

 

“Argh, but we're supposed to be on vacation, why are you bringing up school!!” Jessica shouted, dragging me out from my daydreams.

"But Jessica, how will you improve without criticism?" George's glasses glinted.

"Uu, peer review is very important for self improvement." Maria chimed in. What.

I considered helping her, but I didn't want to attract any attention to my own poor grades. So I let them grab her.

"You guys have fun helping Jessica, I'll go make my phone call..."

“Oh, Ange?” Shannon reminded me of her presence. "Lunch will soon be ready, so please meet us at the main mansion's dining room when you are done."

"Ok!" I barely dodged Jessica's trashing leg, and ran for another, more quiet room.

I almost forgot to make the call. Better hurry, there wasn’t much time left.

 

Niichan didn’t pick up the phone.

Niichan didn't pick up the phone.

Niichan didn't pick up the phone.

There was no other number to call him by. Cell phones are expensive and uncommon and clunky, so he wouldn't have accepted one.

 

There was nothing else to do but give up for now, and get changed.

Time to begin the mission.

\--------------------

BGM:[Rose](http://polsy.org.uk/play/yt/?vurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DtPIxN7byEEw&autoplay=1)

"Ah, this is..." Natsuhi cautiously accepted the gift.

"Peppermint tea with lemon and honey infusion." Rosa smiled. "I got it for your headaches."

"Ah, thank you for your thoughtfulness." Though herbal remedies had never done anything for her, she had found that kind thoughts helped.

Perhaps it really was all psychosomatic, and the only one hurting her was herself?

"Here's my gift." Rudolf presented her with a box.

"I have a gift for father too." Eva said, and presented another box. "I should give it to him in person though..."

"On the behalf of the head, let us thank you, but father said he does not want to be disturbed."

He might not want to see you, maybe, but what about his dear, competent daughter?

"A walk, and some fresh air, could really invigorate the thinking process. If he comes out, I'm sure we can help him with his research."

 

"We're real worried about him, you know? We're always so busy that we only get together once a year, and he’s going to skip out for the third time in a row?” Rudolf wheedled.

“Doctor Nanjo. Couldn’t he pause his research for a bit, and greet his guests, at least?” Rosa asked, as the youngest, and hence designated peacemaker.

“He isn’t bedridden, surely?” Eva pressed on.

“The head is in as good health as he could possibly be.” Nanjo tried to placate them.

"Meaning?"

“As always, he supposedly has 3 months left to live.”

“You said that a year ago.”

Nanjo fell silent.

“And we would expect no less of father to defy expectations.” Krauss retorted.

“Even now, he is hard at work to keep ahold on his empire, despite the worries investors have because of you siblings.” Natsuhi added on.

“Gh!” Rosa flinched.

"If I might add, your father, I suspect, is only still here because his mind is strong. There may be ways to measure a man's health, but there is no medical tool to measure a man's will." 

As always, Ushiromiya Kinzo funambulates between life and death, 

"So, as always, the old man teeters on the edge of death, but we don;t know when he'll finally fall." Rudolf summarised.

"Though, I do wish he would curb his drinking habits. And his working habits!" Nanjo continued. "Just because it has not affected his genius, does"

"But, what else is the man to do? Rest, while his children run underfoot and ruin his noble research?" Krauss scoffed. "The man still carries a grudge from last year, against those he suspects were trying to institutionalize him!"

No one looked away. They could not afford to.

"But, even so," Eva began, then paused. "We..have to explain ourselves to father then!"

Krauss looked at his wife, who shook her head. "He listens to no one now. The only people who he grants an audience to are the servants that bear the golden eagle, and Nanjo. But even they cannot get him to budge."

 

Hideyoshi opened his mouth, as if to say something, but no words came out.

He shut his mouth.

Kyrie sat back, shook her head, and silently commiserated with Hideyoshi.

Then she locked eyes with Natsuhi.  Having locked eyes, each have acknowledged the other as a foe.        

 

She could only coach and predict so much. The rest was up to them.  

First turn went to white.

 

"Who are you to talk about father anyway?" Eva grasped an opportunity. "As his daughter, I want to hear his condition from his own mouth, not _you_."

She looked at Krauss, who suddenly winced as if in sharp pain.

The man looked at his wife, before speaking.

"Is hearing from his own personal physician not good enough?"

"The doctor isn't the patient, what would he know of father's aches and pains."

"Rather than aches and pains, father is full of rage and fervor." Krauss rebuffed. "And we cannot trust your judgement, because you are an involved party."

Rosa gaped.

"Your care for Father may lead you to see things that are not there, or even erase things that are there. No, better to leave matters to the professionals."

 

"But we, as the children, have a right to see him!"

" And he, as the patient, has the right to turn everyone else away. Everyone. Father is working very hard right now on achieving his life's desire. Would you take it away from him?"

"But, we just-"

"Your intentions do not matter. If you so much as knock on that door, then because he has already decreed that he is not to be bothered, he will take it as an affront to himself, and respond in kind. And in the event that he fails, he will blame you."

Y-you don't even have the crest! How dare you speak to us that way, you borrowed womb!

And borrowed tongue. If you cannot find any good reason to contest father's instructions to leave him be, then. Leave. It. Be.

 

"You have seen him once a year, till about three years ago. He has not seen this Beatrice even once for even longer. Where do you think his priorities lie?"

"If we were to bother him now, the head may destroy the cake merely out of pique."

 

Gohda trundled in with tea. She could relax a bit.

Or not. Sensing the atmosphere, even the obsequious man was silent.

Circling his cup around his nose, Hideyoshi opened his eyes wide and exclaimed “Why, Gohda! What a delightful blend this is!”

"Thank you." The younger man beamed. "It is one of my special secret blends,and one of the many reasons for my tenure."

"I think, I smell a whiff of darjeeling..."

"Really?" Said Rudolf. "How can you tell?"

Eva took the opportunity to make herself look better than the others. "It's simple really..."

 

She looked at the family.

 

All around her, was a thin veneer of calm. Faces, tense and worn, hiding the unpleasantness within.

The reckoning will come eventually.

But for now-

It was raining. In this mad world called Rokkenjima.


	6. In the Rose Garden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Previous chapters have been amended a bit to make better sense.

****October 4th** ** ****, 1986, 12:20**** ****PM** **

****[BGM:Rose](https://polsy.org.uk/play/yt/?vurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DtPIxN7byEEw&autoplay=1) ** **

"Oh, Kanon." I caught him in the rose garden, as I made my way to the main mansion. "What are you doing here?"

"Milady." He greeted me curtly.

Though I couldn't see his face in the rain, I could hear his grumpiness.

"Are you still mad that I thought you were a girl this whole time?"

He hesitated. "...No."

If he doesn't want to talk about it and I don't want to talk about it, then fine.

"Anyway, you're furniture, right? So give me your key."

"What?"

"The key to grandpa, I want to see him."

"That..."

"You're not going to tell me I can't, are you?"

 

 There was a long silence, and then he put down his umbrellas.

 

"The head, no, your grandfather. He is a very terrifying man."

I don't want to see him either! But everyone's counting on me!

"I still have to see him. " I answered, as I tried to tackle him. He failed to dodge, but pushed me away when I scrabbled at his pockets.

He was trying not to touch me, which made it really hard for him since I kept lunging at him.

Touch, touch-

"Hey, hey, why do you have those stupid things? Don't you know what you are?"

"No one here wishes you harm, but please, let go-!"

Slap, slap-

Ignoring the soaking, chilling rain, ignoring that phantom pain, I threw my all into wrestling Kanon for the key to our future.

And then, in my struggle-

As if a statue, he just stood there, frozen. I didn't put my hand anywhere weird, did I? Like an off button for furniture.

Whatever the reason, it made it easier for me to pull off his keyring.

Key, get!

Behind me, a great light flashed. The rain was getting stronger.

"Now, the longer we stand here, the more likely I'll get a cold, you know. So let's go." I told him. I had brought an umbrella when I saw the rain, of course, but the wind was so strong it didn't protect me at all.

He stared at me. No, he was staring past me, to who knows what.

I turned around.

In the rain, I could see nothing. But he stared on, ignoring the soaking feeling.

Lightning flashed, and thunder crashed very close to each other. The storm had arrived.

 

"Uuu?" A small figure emerged from the shadows.

"Maria!" She had a cute black lacy little umbrella. "I thought you guys left already!"

"I was told to come and look for you." She replied. "Kanon came looking, too?"

That explains the second umbrella.

 

"He's not doing a good job keeping me dry then. " I scowled. "Let's get out of the rain already, it ruins my dress."

I took an umbrella from Kanon, and saw his bleeding hand, which he then hastily yanked away from me.

"Uh, Kanon? You're bleeding."

I didn't fight him that hard, did I?

He looked my way, but said nothing.

''Maria? He's bleeding. What do we do?" I appealed to my older cousin for help.

 

"Uuu? That's not good." She replied, and pulled a small bandage from her bag of wonders.

Together, we coaxed and threatened Kanon to show us his hand.

I eventually pried open his fingers and found a wilted, crushed rose, with some blood on it's thorns.

In my panic over the blood, I failed to notice something obvious.

 

"What were you doing with the rose?"

He would not answer.

 

"Ange, the patient is in shock. Please remove the foreign object from the patient." Maria instructed me, as she pulled out various bottles, before shoving some back into her purse.

"Oh, okay..." Both Kanon and I looked at her in wonder.

"Foreign object, you mean the rose?"

"Uuu-yes!"

I firmly held Kanon's hand and inspected it, as Maria began to put ointment on the wound.

"Did you remove the thorns? If there's an infection, it's really bad." Maria fussed, turning the hand this way and that. "Should have worn gloves, uuu."

 Then, it occurred to me.

"Shouldn't you already have gardening gloves?" I asked him. "I saw you with a wheelbarrow earlier! You're really careless, to not use them."

I think he was about to say something, but that last part shut him up. Oops.

"Uuu...how'd it get so deep inside?" Maria put the hand down. "We should be doing this inside."

Finally. I wanted to go in long ago, but I was afraid of looking selfish. Did Maria save me from Kanon, Kanon from himself, or Kanon from me?

 

"Welcome back." We were greeted at the door by a bowing Genji, armed with towels.

If he had seen us this whole time, why didn't he say anything?

But Kanon said nothing, and Maria was busy drying herself, what was I to say?

After we dried ourselves, Maria and Genji fussed over Kanon.

 

"Uuu. Make it better, make it better, better than ever before...Heal the heart, heal the mind, grant me a full restore..." Maria chanted a spell, as she took some cotton and ointment from her bag, then tied them with a ribbon around Kanon's palm.

"Here's a spell, to make you well, in good faith and nothing more...Give us time, make him fine, this I implore." She finished her ritual with a little kiss on the bandages, then turned to me.

And jumped a little.

"You're still here?" She asked me.

 

"Yes?" I answered. Maybe I saw something I shouldn't have?

Another thought came to mind. "So, Maria. You know you said 'Uuu' quite a few times already, right? Why aren't you spraying yourself?"

"It is allowed here." She replied.

"What?"

"So there are no enemies here."

"What does that mean?"

"It's just furniture, friends, and us witches here. There is no need to follow the rules of the human world."

"Huh?"

 Maria huffed. "So I don't need to spray myself."

I gave up. Maybe she just doesn't need to do that when her mum isn't around.

 

I turned my focus to Kanon, the other difficult one.

"You ok?"

 He avoided my gaze. "For furniture...this is too much..."

He's right, it really is too much, caring that much for someone so ungrateful...

 Genji glanced at the sour one, then double-checked Maria's bandaging work. "Well done, milady."

She smiled, focusing on the praise. "Uuu!"

 

But I scowled, because I was not so quick to let go. This self-insulting act, this 'furniture' act, is really, really annoying!

I wanted to say something then, like how furniture or not, we all bled the same. Or that we all make stupid mistakes. Or even that we all love, and hurt. So something like this is no trouble at all.

But I also wanted to say, if you're going to be useless as a human, why not hop off the nearest cliff and save us all some trouble?

So, I said nothing. If no one else would say anything, then, I too...

 

"Uuu." Maria said, sadly. "Please take care of yourself, Kanon. Shannon and Jessica would be sad to see you hurt."

Thank you, cousin, for saying what should have been said.

"..thank you, milady." He didn't know what else to say to that.

 

"I trust you find yourselves well?" Genji asked, finally, now that Kanon's been patched up.

Kanon gave a small little nod, while I grumbled about the slow service.

"My sincere apologies about your dress. I could go and get you another..."

The dress! I'd been waiting for someone to mention it!

And so was someone else. "Yes! My mama made it!" Maria proudly told him.

Mama, or maybe the black witch. It is mostly black, after all.

 

 At first, the idea was to make it look like the one worn by the woman in the huge painting grandpa put up a few years ago.

But Maria pointed out, that according to the family lore, even that woman can't control grandpa.

 So we had an outfit made, that was kinda witchy, but not the same as that in the portrait. I was supposed to be some other witch, that would tell him to hand over the gold. Like the ghost of Christmas future, from 'Christmas Carol'.

While lying isn't good, it isn't much better to either find this woman and make her come back to him, or to get some other woman to pretend to be him.

Less people involved means more control over the situation, mama had explained to me. So long as there's more people involved than people uninvolved, papa had commented afterwards.

 And so, I am currently a witch.

 

"It's fine." I told him. "This dress is very important today. Now  don't you have tables to set or something, Kanon?"

"Milady was so late, that the tables are already set and being dined upon." He replied.

"And you didn't come get me sooner then?"

"...The head's orders take priority." He replied.

"What, 'fetch me a rose, Kanon, and _make sure you hurt yourself on it_ '?"

"..." he hung his head. Guess not, then.

 I might have said more, but Genji stepped in.

"Milady. We have kept your meal hot and fresh. Why not enjoy your meal instead?"

"Hoho." Now it was Kumasawa's turn to join the conversation. "Do hurry up dear, I still have your dishes to wash. And your dessert, is getting warm."

 

Oh, dessert made by Gohda would be very tempting, but...

But wasn't there something I need to do first? The Dress of Responsibility reminded me.

"Maria. You know what I need to do is very important for us all, right?"

"Yes?" She had been talking animatedly to Genji and Kanon about something.

"Then Maria, don't let anyone or anything stop me! I've a mission to do!

"Uuu! Good luck, Ange!" She cheered me on, as she held tight onto Genji and Kanon. Not that they showed signs of stopping me.

Kumasawa just smiled at our antics.

"Hoho, the little witches think they can stop us servants?" She spread out her arms. She paused. "What are you doing, though?"

She held her arms out like a goalkeeper anyway, though I dodged them easily. I don't think she was really trying though.

"Oh, also, Maria?"

"Uuu?"

"Please save me some dessert, alright? Unless it's mackerel." I shouted as I ran for the stairs.

"U-I will!"

"Fufu, that would need Maria to be able to tell whether or not it is mackerel. I can make a very good mackerel mousse, you know~" Kumasawa trilled.

 "No! No mackerel!" Maria shouted, and then, I couldn't hear them anymore.

\----------------------

"How was it, my new healing spell?" Maria asked.

Kanon bowed. "My hand is all better already, milady."

But though they removed the thorns in his hand, they could not do anything for the thorns in his heart.

 "Where did you learn that spell?" Kanon asked, quietly. He knew that Maria apprenticed under the mistress of the island, but he also knew that Maria's instructor was not the sort that taught recovery.

Maria opened her mouth as if to speak pridefully, then stopped. " It is a secret between witches, uuu."

The storm outside renewed it's presence in the narrative with a resounding boom.

The lightning that followed, illuminated three figures at the door.

The one carrying her own umbrella, was the witch Virgilia.

The one holding the other umbrella, was the demon butler Ronove.

As for the one he held the umbrella for...

BGM:[Organ Short No. 600 Million in C Minor](https://polsy.org.uk/play/yt/?vurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D3ofk8ff5mbU&autoplay=1)

"Uuu, Beatrice!" Maria dashed up to the smaller figure.

"Maria!" The newcomer, Beatrice, dropped all pretenses of dignity and lifted Maria into the air. Magically, of course. "Good to see you again, uuu!"

"Uuu!" Maria replied, as she floated down.

 

The servants and residents of the magical realm watched on benignly. Although...

"Kyaha, you thought you could stop me, Kanooon?" Beatrice cackled. She took the bloodied rose from Kanon's unresisting hands, and held it above her open mouth, savoring each drop of his lifeblood.

"Mmm, the taste of despair. Not bad." She licked her lips. "Could use more..oh, I don't know. Your thoughts, Ronove?"

The demon sniffed the rose. "A dash of freshly crushed hope never goes wrong, milady." Ronove replied.

 "Oh, it hasn't been crushed yet. So that's why." She pinched at the rose, as if to try and crush hope the manual way.

 

Genji looked at the other butler, and coughed. "Honored guest, your room has been prepared."

"That's not enough to summon anything." Beatrice ruffled Kanon's hat as Maria watched on, oblivious to the remarks of the elderly. "You need more emotion, more pain, more desire, more...everything, really."

Kanon chose to stay silent. Perhaps he wished to avoid offending the guest with his blunt remarks. Perhaps he could find nothing to say.

"Oh, that's right, you can't, huh? Because, furniture, furniture, _furniture_. Furniture can't do this, can't feel that, it just wouldn't be proper." The Golden witch cackled.

 Genji shot a look at Ronove, who winked back. Genji shook his head, and the two engaged in pantomimed communication, which Virgilia watched with interest.

 

"And look at you, little weak old you! Ronove, Virgilia, look, he got robbed of his keys by a little girl!" Beatrice mock-whispered. "What sort of boy loses a fight to a little girl, especially one who's never had to learn the cruelties of life? "

"He has to give way to Ange, she's a guest here and a witch!" Maria defended the servant.

"Oh? what a good boy you are then Kanon, but you know what they say about nice boys..." Beatrice cackled, then paused. "Wait, witch?"

"Uuu, uuu, everyone said to make Ange a witch! And that she must get grandpa to give her the gold!"

"Oh...really...now. But the gold was supposed to be returned to me. Along with interest." Beatrice looked thoughtful. "Then again, it's not as if I have any use for the gold...and this could be quite entertaining..."

"My dear apprentice, have you forgotten what you came here to do?" Virgilia asked, having finally torn her eyes away from the butlers' subtle theatrics. "You have already sent out the invitations, after all."

"Oh, it's not as if I forgot! It's just that, we're missing a very important guest. What's the point of all this, if that person isn't here?!" Beatrice stomped her foot.

"How unfortunate it is then, for the special guest to miss out on your cooking." Virgilia commented. "I know you've worked long and hard on this."

"Exactly! And the courses prepared, can't exactly be put off to some other time..." Beatrice mumbled.

For a brief moment then and there, Kanon hoped that the whole thing would just be cancelled, embarrassing as that may be for all involved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But that was not to be.

 

"Are you throwing a party, Beatrice?" Maria asked.

"Oh, yes, Maria. I'm inviting all my friends, and my friends' friends, and even their friends; the likes of which are more fantastical than I can find words for right now. There'll be games, dancing, and food you can find nowhere else, and plenty of making merry! I've even prepared plenty of fireworks for the grand reopening of the golden land."

Those two magic words, cast a spell of silence upon the lobby.

"Could it be... that it is time?" Kanon asked.

BGM: [At Death's Door](https://polsy.org.uk/play/yt/?vurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D5AMIA-5Op4c&autoplay=1)

"If you know that much, then I shouldn't need to explain; yes, it it time, time to return everything to the Golden Land!"

"...."

" Isn't that great news for you, hmm, Kanon? No more, do those without souls need to suffer, for we have hit the endgame~"

She looked closely at his face. Unfocused, wide: his eyes betrayed furious, fearful thoughts.

 

"If you fear the oncoming end, then stop me yourself." Grinning, she answered his unspoken thoughts. "Certainly, you cannot rely on anyone else...But, can you really bear to do that? Stopping me, means rejecting the Day of Rest."

"Truly, you are a witch..." he gritted out in response.

 "That doubt, that hesitation, that which will tear you apart- it is as delicious as pulled pork!" Beatrice licked her lips. She raised her hands like claws over him, and wriggled them. "I wonder how much longer till the marinating is done?"

"Uuu. Stop bullying Kanon, uu!"

"Huh?" Maria had gotten between them, and was now clinging possessively to the boy.

"You would deny me my snack, Maria?"

"Kanon is not a snack!"

"Then, what is he?"

"He is my patient! Please do not agitate him."

Snap, snap, sparks flew from Beatrice's fingers as they came into contact. Golden butterflies rested for a moment on Kanon's hand, dissolving the bandage, then left it, skin whole and unblemished.

"There, problem solved, now let me at 'em."

"It will tear apart again though, once the anti-magic toxin comes." Maria pointed out.

"He'll just have to hold on till my resurrection then, for then, I can truly guarantee he'll have not a scratch upon him no matter what." Beatrice pouted.

Assuming he isn't chosen for the roulette this time.

"But, the ritual for my resurrection requires sacrifices, as you well know. I wonder, who would be willing to take his place? Who do you suggest, Maria?"

"Why can't we live in this world after your resurrection though?" Was what Maria replied with instead.

"Huh? Why would you want that?" Beatrice shook her head. "This world is too full of the toxin for me, so that will not do. Isn't it also too full of toxin for your magic?"

Maria looked at her bag, then shook her head. "It's just that..."

"And without our magic, what are we?" the golden witch pressed on.

 

A lonely girl tormented by all around her, and a ghost. No better than furniture, Kanon thought.

 "Why...are we furniture?" Kanon asked. "What do humans have that furniture lack?"

"Because~" Beatrice trilled. "You lack love. And without it, you will never make it in this world."

 

Love. It was something Beatrice had once said made up the world. Like the connections Krauss often spoke of; without them, the world would not move one inch for your ideals.

No matter how impractical it may turn out to be.

 

Beatrice returned her attention to her apprentice. "Well, Maria? What is the matter?"

"Uuu. I heard, that the Golden Land is a one-way trip." Maria spoke.

"And why would you want to come back? All that is good will be there!"

"And what about that which isn't good right now? What happens to those with embargoes from the Golden land?"

"Embargo?!" Beatrice was stunned, then put her arms beneath her chin as if in thought.

 

Kanon was lost. "What is an embargo?" He asked the butlers.

Ronove and Genji disentangled themselves from their game. Genji would have responded but was overshadowed by Ronove.

"If you are asking about the conversation between the mistress and young lady, it would seem that Lady Maria wishes to bring some sort of product or person banned from the Golden Land."

"Banned? Is such a fearsome thing possible?"

"To my knowledge, there are no products or persons barred from the Golden Land without reason, so for Lady Maria to bring up such a thing, could it be she knows someone who has banned themselves from the place?"

"A thing that has denied the wonders of the Golden Land...You're talking about your cousin, aren't you?"

"...."

"I'm right, aren't I? Or could it be that boy you haven't seen since you were three years of age? Surely not?"

"Uuu! Not that guy!" Maria affirmed.

"Right, then Ange. Oh, Ange, our rogue ex-member. What did she tell you now?"

"Mama said, to support Ange becoming a witch, and not to do anything unnecessary." She looked down. "For the sake of everyone."

"So that's what was going on with that dress, I was wondering whose funeral it was-turns out it is mine. That spoiled little girl thinks she has what it takes to be a witch, huh??"

"She told you, magic isn't real! And she laughed at you!" Beatrice insisted. increasingly incensed. "You would take her side because the adults told you to? You would choose money, and let them encroach upon your heart?"

"My dear pupil, she is still just a child!" Virgilia protested. Maria looked close to tears. "Do take care. You too were quite the rapscallion at that age."

"It's not just about Ange!" Maria argued. "There's mama, and Jessica. And Uncle Yoshi and Aunt Eva, and... a lot of other people!"

Perhaps it was because she was still a human, that she could even have regrets, Kanon thought. But the Golden Witch was the sort to relish in that sort of thing, who would mock you for-

"That's a lot of regrets." Beatrice commented. "We are running a tight schedule though, so try to solve them before midnight, alright?" Beatrice patted Maria's head kindly. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Perhaps, it is because they are both Mariage Sorcerie members, Kanon reflected, that they treat each other with something resembling diplomacy.

 

"...uu." Maria shook her head. "This is a regret I need to solve myself. But, about Ange...will you help her?"

"You want me to support her becoming a witch?"

"Yes."

"Then here." With a small 'pop', paper and pen appeared. Beatrice composed her letter, and sealed the envelope with a red wax seal stamped with the Ushiromiya crest. "This, is your cousin's ticket to the title. Should she succeed, then not only will I recognize her as a witch, I will even grant her my name and title of Endless."

"I was trained by the one now called Virgilia, and recommended by another." Beatrice mused. "It was a long process, taking around a thousand years by my estimate, to get where I am. But Ange, in human terms, has less than two days. Though not impossible, I daresay the odds are stacked."

 

 "You would drag Miss Ange down to your level?" 

If it took a thousand years for the witch, how fast would Ange have to fall to reach her level, Kanon mused. At the pace required, it was like telling Ange to go splat.

Truly, a crash course.

"That would be nice, wouldn't it, Maria? If your cousin would apologize and join our ranks once more. Speaking of, you'd better hurry, who knows where she is now? Oh, and remember not to show that letter to anyone else."

Maria accepted the letter, and then stomped off, to do whatever she felt needed doing.

 

"So, even she has found something worth keeping in the world of humans." Beatrice sighed.

"Humans can scramble and strive all they want, but then some little blip, something that had always been there, unnoticed, will ruin everything!" Her melancholy suddenly turned into destrudo. 

"Is it not fair? Is it not just?" With each question, her voice went higher and higher, and eventually into sinister laughter. "Is it not...exciting?"

"How delightful it is, when things don't go to plan! But even this cannot derail the roulette. Isn't that right, boys?"

Ronove and Genji nodded politely. "If it makes the mistress happy..."

Virgilia, not so much. "Are you sure things will be alright?"

Kumasawa had slunk off somewhere at some point. Maybe to look out for Ange.

"Even this is fine." Beatrice shrugged. "Whatever the outcome, I will accept. That is the kind of witch I am!"

 

"And you! Don't think I couldn't hear your straight man (tsukkomi) thoughts from a mile away." She returned her attention to Kanon. "You do remember that I control the fates of all furniture, yes?"

 And the fate of all furniture is to serve. Whether to obey faithfully, or even to rebel, they were all in the palm of this false buddha.

"I can tear you to pieces, and I can fix you whole. " As she demonstrated her power, as Kanon proceeded to fall in and out of consciousness, he prayed.

 For Ange's success, and the fate of the humans.


	7. Eagle catching chick

"Oh, it's...Shannon?" The head greeted one of his most trusted servants, as he sat in bed with a heavy book. 

 

"Ah, yes?"

"Have you seen Beatrice?"

 "No, my lord." Perhaps it is because of her long-standing service, youth, or timid nature, that Kinzo talks even more openly with her than just about everyone else, save the other furniture and Nanjo.

“Why is it, that her ghost never shows her face to me, but openly harasses you?”

Shannon is what is known as a 'clumsy maid'. Though considered cute in fictional media, it has caused both herself and Madam Natsuhi no small amount of grief.

But there have been incidents of her clumsiness, with external forces at work...

"...um, um..."

"Haha, and I thought you would say it was because I show my face to none nowadays." Kinzo chuckled. "Then again, if it was not a polite reply, it would not be you, would it?"

"Everyone here, even Nanjo." He continued, giving Shannon no time to respond. "They fear me, even as I am now. But Beatrice, oh Beatrice! That bold woman, not only would she dare insult me to my face, she was the one who made me what I am now. Truly, I would not be where I am today if it were not for her."

"But never mind all that. Why do you think she has not come to me, in my hour of need?" And now, he folded his hands together expectantly for her answer.

"Ah, er..." Shannon continued to stammer. Kinzo fixed a patient stare upon her, making her shrink even further from his gaze.

There was to be no usual escape. She eventually out her thoughts into words.

“...I, I believe, it is a trial of love, sir. ” Shannon timidly replied.

"What's that?" Kinzo cupped an ear. "I am an old man you know, for all my energetic ravings."

"ah, uh..." Shannon stammered.

"As I am now, I am a man more dead than alive, no better than a ghost." Kinzo continued, finally taking pity on her by changing the topic. "I can do all the research I want, but if the results are naught, then I am but an excuse for a tax break."

Shannon nodded along.

Kinzo shook his head. "I already dedicate my everything to her, and gave my word, as a man of commerce, that I ask for her smile and nothing more. What else could she want from me?"

"The, the scorpion charm, sir..." Shannon reminded him of the barrier against the supernatural, that was put on the door of the suite.

"Pah. That thing won't stop her if she really puts her mind to it! That Beatrice, just because she follows the wording does not mean she follows the spirit of the rules."

If you cannot go in, send someone else. How else would Beatrice have destroyed the shrine?

"Uh, a-" She had wanted to say something, but stopped.

"Of course, if my demands are not to be met, then there is always _that_."

"Ah, that?"

"Indeed."

 

The ceremony.

"Though it would be more accurate to call it a gamble, as ceremonies have very strict rules and a set outcome."

"On the tenth twilight, at journey's end, you shall attain to the power of the Golden Land's treasures, once and for the last time..."

'Time for all to be made known, and for the roulette to chart the course.

Time for us to leave, and seek our dreams in the golden land.

And soon, we will be free of the pains of love.'

 

There came a fierce knocking at the suite door.

“Graah!” Shannon flinched as Kinzo roared and threw a perused grimoire at the offending door. "Who dares interrupt me?!"

Understandably, he received no response. He could not be heard. Not that he cared for one.

"The green fairy calls to me…Nanjo, another glass! And then, see to whoever seeks an audience with me!”

The previously ignored doctor looked at him questioningly. "But, your liver..."

"Holds no value to me. Now go!"

"Sigh." Nanjo sighed once more, and got up to do just that.

He opened the door, and-

was collided into. "You!" I squeaked, winded from the impact.

 

This old man is old, but he is also fat. Like a sumo or football player, he took the hit like it was nothing.

"Ange!" The old man exclaimed. “I know you don’t see your grandfather often but you cannot just go in there!”

 "I think he should at least let the cleaner in." There was an intense awful smell coming from the room.

“Ange, don’t cry, please. No one is angry with you.” Nanjo pleaded.

 "It's the stink!" I heard that people aren't that good at smelling things when they get old. But why did grandpa have to make his room smell like everything in the perfume department leaked?

"I am sorry, Ange, but his rituals may be too much for a child." The old man took my hand, and tried to pull me away from the scene, but I pulled back.

"No!" I protested. "I'm old enough for this! I-I'm a thousand year witch!"

"...A thousand-year witch you may be," Nanjo began, with an air of experience, or at least patience, "but you are still a child nonetheless."

Nanjo guarded the door, but I wanted to catch the man behind him. So we played 'eagle catching chick'.

\--------------------------

"Now, while the good doctor is out-Shannon, another glass."

There was something to be said, that the drink of the fey actually brings him closer to the human realm than when he is without it.

He gulped down his absinthe, then slammed the glass onto the table, making Shannon flinch.

"Which reminds me...I can sense you have ties still to the human world. Does that grandson of mine still trouble you?”

Though it would be a reasonable query of concern from a doting elder figure, their relationship was not an equitable one. Shannon backed away from the tremendous aura of the man before her.

“No, there has been no trouble.” Shannon, stammered.” Your grandson has done nothing to dishonor your good name.”

“Pah,” He slammed the table. Shannon trembled. Wrong answer?

“Then he has yet to become a real man. Where is the passion? the excitement? And he thinks I would give you away? Don’t try to cover for him. What sort of man needs furniture to protect him? People make mistakes all the time. If he has not had the chance to learn from them, can you be sure you two can weather the storms of life together?!”

As if to prove his point, the wind howled and thunder roared.

 Whoosh. Boom.

"At least Furfur is on task." Kinzo grumbled. "But, to carry on from my previous statement. He is an unknown! A man riding on the questionable coattails of his father! How could you invest so much in him?!"

 "I-investment?"

"Investment! For a woman, her husband is her biggest investment, is it not?! The man is her very bread and butter, her pillar in the storm, the one who determines her status in this world! Of course, conversely, the reverse is true. Are you sure you are ready to support him _as is_?"

"W-well, because I love him, I must have full faith in him-"

"Shannon. There is no need to follow that borrowed womb's example. See how piteously she cries by herself!"

"A-ah, the madam is-"

"There is no need to defend her around me. I know that she especially hates you. As does that shrew daughter of mine."

Shannon had nothing to say to that. Her usual defender, Kanon, was elsewhere at the time after all.

"But so. Regarding George, your chosen one." The old man pouted. "What is so good about him?"

"He has been a wonderful man. Though he is still young, he has overcome the weakness in his heart, and charmed mine. He is confident that-"

"So what about his confidence? Will the problem be solved through mere feelings alone? You speak of his confidence, but what about yours?"

"...His trust in me is not misplaced." Shannon replied, firmly.

"There is a hole to be filled, but it cannot be done. At least, not like this. He is not good enough for you! This family is cursed. If you want money, I would sooner give you it all. If you want power, then sooner you be my heir. "

 

"I have no need of the witch's gold. As long as I have your grandson's love, that will be enough for me."

Kinzo laughed. "You have been planning to say that for quite a while, haven't you? But, words can only do so much, and a man's heart is no less fickle than a woman's. In the event you are chosen for the roulette, wouldn't it be better if you expedite your courtship to it's _climax_?" He wriggled his eyebrows as Shannon turned red.

"He plans to give me a ring tonight. For furniture such as I, receiving it is the culmination of my feelings. There is nothing more I could wish for."

"Ah, yes. Furniture. I was the one who did this to you, and yet, I often forget the consequences of my actions."

Shannon smiled a blank smile. "Soon, we will all be in the Golden Land, and that will no longer matter."

It was not quite forgiveness. But what else could be done?

 

"You should consider it though. I didn't like my wife and she still bore me four hellions. That's a testament to the allure of- well." Kinzo stopped, as Shannon had covered her ears.

"T-that would be terribly improper. Only after we make our vows before god..."

"Shannon. I have already closed off the island. Neither God nor Buddha are watching us. Everything that happens now, is within the catbox. None shall see, none shall hear-"

 

There was another loud knock at the door. Shannon startled, and Kinzo roared his displeasure.

  
"She got past him? You've really fallen, old friend." Kinzo grumbled, as Shannon hurried to the door. "Ignore her. She'll have to go away eventually. Children have small attention spans, after all."

  
"C-couldn't it possibly be the doctor? He cannot get in without a key..."

"Then serves him right. Leave him outside, let him serve as a warning to all that I grant no audiences...that, and he would only just tell me to drink less of this and more of that." Kinzo quipped, gesturing to his empty glass, and then to the various tonics Nanjo had prepared.

  
"You are thinking to yourself, 'if I do not let him in he cannot make me take my medicine, correct?'" Nanjo shouted, barely audible across the distance and door.

  
"You've nagged me more in these 3 years than my wife did in her entire lifetime, I swear."

"B-but, your hearing is incredible. To be able to hear the doctor despite the distance and the walls' thickness..."

"I am the emperor. Though I appear to have retired, I still haves eyes and ears everywhere." He laughed at his own joke, before explaining.

"From this distance, I cannot hear him with the ears on the sides of my head, but rather the ears in my mind."

"That is not how it works, old friend." He continued in a chiding manner, as a mimicry of Nanjo.

"Hmph. Said the pot to the kettle." Kinzo responded to himself.

"Are you not entertained? My impression is spot-on, I am certain of it."

 

 "...She is claiming to be Beatrice." Shannon answered him. "T-that is what the doctor said from the other side of the door."

"What is with all these derivative Beatricii!? I have had enough of them. If they could completely replace her I could accept it and yet they could not. Using whatever remains of this shabby chip I call my life, I will throw all of what's mine to the roulette of the demons, and entrust my fate to whatever comes next. Ask me if I regret it."

"..."

"I do not. Curse me! Burn me! But I will never let go, never ever ever ever never!! Mine, you're mine forever! In your pretty little bird cage, you will sing, and whisper those sweet tempting words to me, only to me! No more, of these false homunculi! Ooooh, Beatrice!!! Sing for me once more, my nightingale!"

\------------------

"Let me go, you pervert old man!" I shouted.

He couldn't touch me without me yelling stranger danger, and I didn't have the muscle to make him move.

 

Like the scorpion on the doorknob, the old man stood guard, to defend the man inside.

"Now, Ange, your grandfather's health is delicate. He needs peace-"

"I'm Beatrice! I'm the one he's looking for! I'll give him peace all right, a piece of my mind!"

"...Your family put you up to this, didn't they?"

"...no."

Nanjo sighed. "How unfortunate, to have to spend this once-a-year opportunity having to worry about the affairs of adults. But do not worry, even if you cannot see your grandfather, I will put in a good word for you, alright?"

Like hell. "You're lying."

"Pardon?"

"I know grandpa doesn't want to see anyone. I know he doesn't want to see, or hear anything from Ange. So I have to tell him in person. Otherwise its useless."

"Such a skeptical way of thinking....are you really a six-year old? It is a sad thing if so."

"Quit trying to change the subject, and stick to your day job. Are you letting me in, or shall I resort to violence?"

"Violence against the elderly? T-that's not proper for a young lady. Ange, you're lying too. You're not Beatrice. She's- she's blond, for starters. And older."

"Witches can shapeshift, so hair color and height won't actually mean anything! Now quit trying to change the subject!"

"..A while ago, your grandfather said that Beatrice does not strictly follow the spirit of rules. But...no, it is nothing."

"So you mean, if I really am Beatrice I'll find a way in anyway, even if everyone is against me."

“That is not what I-?!"

This is what papa means when he says 'grabbing opportunity by the balls'*, right?

 

"Ange, no!" Battler and Nanjo screamed. "You won't be able to get married anymore!"

 

"I really don't have the key!" Nanjo squealed. "There is no point to this madness Ange, please stop!"

...I searched his pockets. Despite all that time-wasting, he really had no keys.

 

....That day, Nanjo's scream could be heard even by people on the floor below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Battler: what the hell was that last part. Ange's my baby sister; she's not the sort to call people names and use violence!  
> Goat: have you ever met a small child.  
> \-----------  
> * 'Grab opportunity by the balls.' I know the phrase is 'grab opportunity by the throat' but Rudolf would say this, wouldn't he. In Japanese it would probably be 'go for gold'.


End file.
